Essence of Budo & Ninjutsu

Since my last trip to Japan. I been think the essence of 武術 martial arts/military arts, 武道 budo, and 忍法 ninpo. What true difference between sport and non-sport?

Recently, my own training in 武道体術 budo taijutsu has led to the exploration to my past in the world of martial arts and focus on the Japanese arts own related to 体術 taijutsu; 柔道 Judo, 居合道 Iaido, 少林寺拳法 shōrinji-kempō, and 合気道 Aikido to study the 武道 budo arts (chanoyu (茶湯) or sadō, chadō (茶道),書道 shodō, すみえ Sumi-e, etc).

The goal of our training in the 武神館 Bujinkan is to become 達人 Tatsujin (Awakened Person/self-actualized human). I personally believe the many 武道家 budoka miss opportunities outside their own dojo, because there to busy looking at other martial arts to see what is wrong or what is different and then find what they think is wrong and/or not what is the same. They let their egos tell them that their way is perfect or real, their martial art has everything or their martial art can teach them to fight, or finally, the last delusion is they feel training only happens in the dojo and the dojo is real. They are more delusion.

The reality martial arts and dojo can’t teach to fight, what real is you fight people and/or individuals, you don’t fight a style. All training is about being prepared conditioning ourselves to be ready when the time comes. All training has one flaw the person, if believe you will lose you will lose. Why do trained solider or warriors lose or die at the hands of someone with no training. The un-trained persons want to live more than the solider or warrior, they had more to lose and do everything to live. That is truth!

All 武道 budo training leads down the same path as long as we are on this path we will reach the same goal. Physical training isn’t enough, reading, mental studies and spiritual studies are equally, you must train your heart and spirit.

I'm just going to say it, no instructor or martial art can teach you to fight, training is a tool to be used by you the individual and you teach yourself, you will try to prepare you for a real fight as best as he can but that is all. 組手 Kumite (Sparring) and 乱取り Randori (Free Sparring) will not help either 組手 Kumite (Sparring) and 乱取り Randori are tools to prepare you, nothing more.

The ring and dojo cannot replace reality of life and death, if we are true martial arts and warrior, we must understand this true. My father is a Vietnam vet who service two tours of duty in Vietnam, he had the same training as all the other Marines. Why is he alive and the others die? My father friends but he came home. The is very sample; one just dump luck and the second is he want to live more, he refused to die or gave up. Your heart and spirit is your internal strength and the training are weapons and tools.

I believe a martial artist should choose their tools (Martial Art Style) like you choose your weapons, the all martial arts have personalities and when find one the fits your personality, you then will become one and stand a better change surviving real life and death. You need feel comfort with your tools. If you believe in yourself and your tools, but we must mentally understand what is sport and what is real combat. The second method to prepared is your training, after finish your practice your forms and techniques, against your arts standard attacks; explorer against more realistic attacks, if you practice against straight punches the practice against curved punches, etc. Throw street attacks into your training.

I believe all martial arts are good as long as you understand what is sport and is combat, know when your heart in the ring and know your heart in the dojo. Practice against all types of attacks in your training.

My own has now lead to full explorer the essence of 武道 budo, and 忍法 ninpo. Please read these books and expand your mind down the path of life and martial arts. Enjoy your style of martial art with the proper mindset.

1. The Essence of Budo: The Secret Teaching of the Grandmaster by Masaaki Hatsumi.

2. The Essence of Budo: A Practitioner’s Guide to Understanding Japanese Martial Arts by Dave Lowry